12V LiPo battery

[tramcar trev]

Chaps I'm thinking one of these may be ok to fit inside the boiler of my planned Baldwin tram motor. Physically they would all fit and the heavier the better to save having to use ballast. Advice most appreciated8|
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Portable...argeable_Batteries&hash=item3cc1c0cbd5&_uhb=1

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Recharge...onics_Batteries_SM&hash=item2eba9b62aa&_uhb=1

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-Rech...Batteries_Chargers&hash=item3cd0420c04&_uhb=1
Not sure of the current I'll draw but the 6.8 ah one would give a reasonable run plus cope with "extras" lights and smoke...
Note no AU plug but that's not a worry I have an adapter or a pair of pliers...

Or do I get these http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-5000m...488&pid=100005&prg=1088&rk=1&sd=200929560414&
Then how do I charge them apart from removing them.... maybe something like this?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/iMAX-B6-...182&pid=100005&prg=1088&rk=1&sd=140771916252&

 

[gregh]

Slightly off the question, but Australia Post considers ALL lithium batteries as not sendable by air. Even watch batteries!!!
http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/dangerous-and-prohibited-items.html < Link To http://auspost.com.au/par...-prohibited-items.html

I wonder how long it will be before all Lithiums are banned from air???? I suspect they already are, but this is ignored by sellers.

 

[trammayo]

It wasn't a lithium battery that caught fire in the Boeing Dreamliner was it?

 

[MRail]

Trev, I'm no expert, but I understand Li Polymer batteries can be a little volatile when charging.
Most users charge in a metal box to minimise damage from possible fires.
Some racing car outfits sell purpose made boxes.
If fitted in a loco boiler, this would be difficult.

Li Ion are generally much safer, but then tend to be bigger.

 

[spoz]

It wasn't a lithium battery that caught fire in the Boeing Dreamliner was it?

Yes.

 

[ge_rik]

There's loads of info on the forum about the square shaped Li-ions that come with their own charger - eg see - http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=165095 < Link To http://www.forum.gscalece.ral.net/tm?m=165095

I have a clone of the B6 charger and it's a very versatile bit of kit once you get the hang of using it - eg see
http://youtu.be/rigWBMBT9NA Q... can squeeze-in in whatever format. Rik

 

[tramcar trev]

No, it was an oil return line from the turbocharger to the "sump" that cracked due to being made of an unsuitable material...

 

[gregh]

I charge my LiPos in-situ, in the loco. Just like I charge my laptop and mobile phone LiPos

 

[tramcar trev]

Okkkkkkkk thanks. I seem to recall Lipo battery problems in the past...
So these ones would be the go;
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130909767214?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
and there are these too, 8.4 v, but no charger is offered;
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/6400mAh-...raphic_Accessories&hash=item43bc8a0630&_uhb=1

 

[MRail]

I have a couple of those too.
They work very well.
BUT - won't fit in a loco boiler.
You'll have to find another location.
eg below window level in the tram loco, with half boiler sitting on top.

 

[tramcar trev]

Ok... having read thru the Data in the thread I did try and search for, honest, its obvious the "blue" pack is for me;
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130909767214?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
6.8 Ah should be more than adequate thought I may have to make some adjustments ( under rule 8) to accommodate this inside the boiler. I may also make provision for a discrete charging socket and leave the blue switch on, though from what I read if the switch is on the led indicator would discharge the battery. There are some other ways to of charging that spring to mind eg a short section of isolated track and pick up the charge current via the wheels with diodes to prevent discharge back through the track when the tram moves of the "charging track". I don't want to have to dismantle to charge it.... I also suspect without some sort of positive air gap that the battery would self discharge thru the ESC, can you get the switch out and extend the wires? And at the same time delete the led? I also found this charger; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/360593440095?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
and this charger; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-iMAX...ontrolled_Vehicles&hash=item51a69d64b7&_uhb=1 but I have a question regarding balancing these battery packs; how can they balance the cells if they are series connected in a pack with one lead? I only know enough about this to be dangerous....

 

[tramcar trev]

I charge my LiPos in-situ, in the loco. Just like I charge my laptop and mobile phone LiPos

I still have gel cells in my mobile....
Seriously the idea of having separate cells that can be slid out of the smoke box and into a charger does appeal to me. There are some cheap "C" sized Li Po's available with charger...

 

[GAP]

Ok... having read thru the Data in the thread I did try and search for, honest, its obvious the "blue" pack is for me;
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130909767214?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
6.8 Ah should be more than adequate thought I may have to make some adjustments ( under rule 8) to accommodate this inside the boiler. I may also make provision for a discrete charging socket and leave the blue switch on, though from what I read if the switch is on the led indicator would discharge the battery. There are some other ways to of charging that spring to mind eg a short section of isolated track and pick up the charge current via the wheels with diodes to prevent discharge back through the track when the tram moves of the "charging track". I don't want to have to dismantle to charge it.... I also suspect without some sort of positive air gap that the battery would self discharge thru the ESC, can you get the switch out and extend the wires? And at the same time delete the led? I also found this charger; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/360593440095?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
and this charger; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-iMAX...ontrolled_Vehicles&hash=item51a69d64b7&_uhb=1 but I have a question regarding balancing these battery packs; how can they balance the cells if they are series connected in a pack with one lead? I only know enough about this to be dangerous....

Trev,
With regard to the iMax B6 charger there are fake ones circulating in
the market.
This web page from HobbyKing has a video showing the differences between a genuine and a fake, I only discovered this while researching for batteries for my new Bachmann Shay.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__5548__IMAX_B6_Charger_Discharger_1_6_Cells_GENUINE_.html

From personal experience I bought a "Blue" Li-ion battery and it had a faulty cell and would not charge, when I dismantled it I found that the switch was connected to both leads as opposed to others where the switch was not connected to the charging lead, guess quality control is not a big deal in China.
There were circuit boards on each cell but whether they balance the cells when charging I don't think so the boards were for low voltage detection I think.

I am now leaning toward a Li-po battery with a balancing charger, probably from HobbyKing which is where I get all my R/C gear from.

This one is narrowing as the favorite because of size and the capacity will give a fairly good running time.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...mAh_3S_20C_Lipo_pack_Perfect_for_QRF400_.html
As for removing batteries to charge them, my batteries are all left installed and I run switched leads to a discrete connection points on the body. They are connected via a DPDT "centre off" switch with one side being ON and the other for Charge.

 

[tramcar trev]

That battery is the ideal size and would suit superbly. Would fit neatly in the saddle tank.....
I recall problems with the older style lithium batteries that had a liquid inside them, these are far more stable and drawing only 1 - 3 amps shouldn't cause to many dramas. I think it was Ross who said they are designed for helicopter use drawing 20 amps for a 6 min flight then recharge via a car battery for the next flight, probably some sort of battery rights violation.....
It lets me get on with gathering the bits and pieces, will be a good bit of therapy for next winter when it's too cold to work on the tramway.

 

[tramcar trev]

[font="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"]There is a lot of uninformed "guff" put out on forums.[/font]

[/quote]
As I demonstrated with my thread on the "highest tram terminus in Australia" It's too easy to post garbage and even easier to manipulate the uneducated into believing what you want them to believe.... Google's tentacles grasp at anything that could fit the search string... Like the true believer who posted that Jesus was white, simply no way he could have been he would have had to have been in fact a Semite...